Tea Flego – The Makeup Artist Who Uses Her ‘Glam-ma’ As Her Muse

”I had an idea to do my grandma´s makeup and film it, to show how makeup can work miracles and actually rejuvenate a person.” – Tea Flego

Most people feel comfortable in their own skin, however, they opt for makeup anyway as for some reason they feel makeup boosts their confidence or they simply love the beauty of it. However, for some people, makeup is a game changer and they find themselves feeling more comfortable anytime they are wearing makeup. Whatever the case might be for you – if you are a makeup enthusiastic, or just a beginner – all that matters is you feel good about yourself.

What makeup means to you, is totally up to you. Some people see makeup as some kind of art as a way to express themselves and do it simply for the fun of it, while for other people, it is simply a profession which they do for a living.

Unless you have been living under a rock, then you probably know the Croatian makeup artist Tea Flego who, doing makeup to her superstar granny has proved the power of cosmetics and contouring. The internet sensation we are talking about is her grandma, or, better said, glam-ma, Livia.

We sat down with Tea Flego – the makeup artist, makeup educator and the business owner of a makeup studio in Pula, Croatia – and she revealed to us some pretty interesting things in an exclusive interview.

Follow me below to read how Tea decided to become a makeup artist, how the collaboration with her granny started, and how she “accidentally” became an internet sensation reaching 177K followers on Instagram.

Credit: Tea Flego

When asked how Tea decided to enter the makeup industry, she revealed she was always passionate about makeup since childhood, saying:

Since I was 5 years old I have been doing makeup for my mother, aunts, neighbors, and of course, my grandma. For the last 10 years of my life I have exclusively been a makeup artist, thus turning my hobby and passion into a career.

With her amazing work and talent, the makeup artist turned her hobby and passion into a career being an exclusive makeup artist for 10 years now.

Credit: Tea Flego

There are two kinds of people in this world, the ones who think of great things, but never opt for doing those, and then there is Tea Flego who dared to try makeup on her granny and show that “makeup can work miracles and actually rejuvenate a person.”

“I turned this idea into reality because no one has ever dared to try it, or maybe they just weren´t crazy enough to take such a big chance,” admitted the business owner in Croatia.

She continued saying:

It is a fine line between a disaster and a miracle. We dared to walk on that line and we created a boom.

Credit: Tea Flego

As for Glam-my Livia becoming a viral sensation, Tea Flego admitted that an “injustice happened after publishing the before and after picture” of her grandmother, explaining:

A famous world makeup artist shared our picture with his signature on it, and at that moment it seemed like it was the worst thing that could have happened. We soon realized it was the best possible advertisement we could receive. The picture rapidly spread across the internet after which I decided to film a video to show it is actually a picture of my grandma and my work. And that´s how it all began. The video was shared by various media across the world, magazines, bloggers etc. – and so it went viral.

Glam-ma Livia not only enjoys being Tea’s model, she, in fact, loves it and is so excited every time the duo receives a new makeup product. This is what Flego said regarding applying makeup to her beloved granny:

When I put makeup on her its often not easy. Sometimes we have to remove the whole makeup and start over again, but that is the process. Her skin is aged and it has wrinkles, so it is a challenge to do high-quality makeup work on her.

When Tea was asked to share what her relationship with her granny is, Tea referred to her as “the center” of her world without leaving behind her mother and grandfather with whom Tea lives with. The most interesting thing about their close relationship is that even without makeup and the internet, their bond has always been “unbreakable and special.”

Credit: Tea Flego

Being very ambitious, the makeup artist and educator aims to hold education seminars around the world, as well as free Master Classes around the world for “the people who cannot afford this sort of education.” She said:

My belief is that everyone deserves a chance and that there are a lot of people who love makeup, but they just don’t know where to start and the financial aspect of this business restricts them. They maybe need a helping hand and I am ready to offer it.

We at MetDaan are keeping our fingers crossed as Tea is thinking of a surprise for her granny. She believes granny “has more than earned it.”

“I cannot wait to turn it into reality. It is a long process until it reaches its final stage and becomes an accomplished idea. But once it does I believe my grandma will be very happy and satisfied with it,” admitted Tea. The makeup artist reassures she will inform us when the time is right.

As for the advice, Tea gives to people who want to get started in the makeup industry, she added:

To be unique, create work that is different from everyone else, be innovative, and do whatever you do from the heart and with love.That is the only key to success.